Combined crutches and tray



March 27, 1962 P. w. KIRBY ETAL 3,026,887

COMBINED CRUTCHES AND TRAY Filed Sept. 14, 1959 INVENTORS PATRICIA W KIRBY CHARLES M. SHUEY ATTORNEYS 3,026,837 COMBINED *CRUTQEES AND TRAY Patricia Wehr Kirhy, 399 Kent St., Falls Church, Va., and Charles M. Shiiey, Falls Church, Va. (1635 48th St, San Diego 2, Calif.)

Filed Sept. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 839,625 2 Claims. (Cl. 135-49) The present invention relates to a tray supported by a pair of crutches, and more particularly to means for connecting the tray to the crutches to provide for limited relative movement of the tray while the crutches are being used. by a peison walking with the aid thereof.

Patients suffering from leg and ankle injuries, especially those for whom in emergency cases the aid of crutches is necessary for only a limited time, frequently find it awkward to manipulate this type of support. When they endeavor to carry other articles by hand, they are handicapped to the extent that the hands are necessary to grasp the grips on the crutches. Consequently only small articles may be transported from one point to another while the patient is walking with the aid of crutches. V y

it is an object of this invention to provide a tray supported by and bridging the space between a pair of independently movable crutches to be disposed forwardly of the user. I

It is a further object of the invention to provide a flexible connection between a tray and a pair of crutches to permit relative movement between the individual crutches and between the tray and the crutches.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention taken with the accompanying drawings in which- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of tray and its supporting connections with crutches, only portions of the crutches being shown;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the assembled parts;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the assembly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of a modified form of supporting means for the tray, certain of the parts being broken.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the tray is supported from the front leg of individual crutches 11, 12. Each rear corner of the tray is provided with a recess to accommodate an arm 13, the latter being pivoted about pin 9 fixed in the tray. The rear end of each arm 13 is hook-shaped at 14 for a purpose to be referred to hereinafter. This end of the arm is pivotally held in the eye of bolt 15 which is fixed to the crutch leg at a suitable height from the lower end of the crutch. The front of the tray is supported by struts 16, the lower ends of each strut being so bent that it is substantially vertical and is bifurcated at 17 to fit over bolt 18 fixed to the crutch leg some distance below bolt 15. The head 19 of bolt 18 projects a distance from the crutch such that the bifurcated end of the strut has a limited relative horizontal movement along the bolt as well as a vertical relative movement thereon. The upper end of each strut forms a socket 2.1 which accommodates the spherical end 22 of cross rod 23, the latter being secured by brackets 24 to the underside of the tray.

In FIG. 5 there is shown a modification of the connections between the tray and crutches. In this form of the invention, arm 25 is Z-shaped, the forward end 26 of each arm extending upwardly into a socket 27 adjacent to the rear corner of the tray. The rear end 28 of the arm is turned downwardly and is pivotally attached to the crutch leg by means of a U-bracket 29.

rates Patent ice A rotatable L-shaped clip holds the arm in the socket, but this clip may be turned to permit removal of the arm. The lower end 31 of each strut 32 is similarly pivoted to the crutch in a U-bracket 33. The upperend 34 of each strut is spherical and is slidably secured in an inverted channel 35 having inwardly turned flanges on its underside, the channel being secured to the bottom of the tray. The flanges are so spaced that they confine the spherical head but permit rectilinear movement of the strut therebetween.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the tray is so secured to a pair of crutches that limited pivotal movement of the connections permits relative movement of the crutches with respect to each other and to the tray. One crutch may be moved forward or in an arcuate path, as when turning a corner, while the other crutch remains stationary. At the same time the tray remains horizontal, minimizing the possibility of overturning objects or articles res ting thereon. It has been found by experience that a drinkingglass containing a relatively large amount of liquid may be safely carried on the tray without spilling the contents while the user is walking with crutches. A

The connections are designed to permit ready assembly and disassembly of the tray and crutches. In the form shown in FIG. 1, the struts may be disengaged from the lower bolts and the tray hung from the crutches by the hooked ends of the connecting arms to rest in a vertical position against the crutches which in turn may be propped against a wall. In this way the folded assembly takes up little space.

The tray and its supports when disassembled may be packed in a relatively small container for shipment and may be assembled with a pair of conventional crutches with little modification of the latter, it being only necessary to drill openings or attach clips to provide for ready connection of the tray to the pair of crutches.

While preferred forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, such changes as come within the definition thereof as set forth in the appended claims are contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a pair of substantially vertical independently movable crutches, a tray, and means for connecting said tray to the front side only of the crutches for supporting the tray forwardly of the crutches in horizontal position in relation to the crutches, said means including a hinged element connecting one rear corner of the tray to one of said crutches, a second hinged element connecting the opposite rear corner to the other of said crutches, a rigid downwardly inclined strut connecting one front corner of said tray to one of said crutches, a second rigid downwardly inclined strut connecting the opposite front corner of said tray to the other of said crutches, said struts each having a lost motion connection with one of said crutches and a universal joint connection with said tray.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the lost motion connection comprises a bifurcated end portion on the strut cooperating with a pin on each crutch disposed below the hinged connection and the universal joint comprises a ball and socket connection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,264,774 Clifford Apr. 30, 1918 1,463,675 Coleman July 31, 1923 1,487,891 Ryden Mar. 25, 1924 2,430,235 Mendenhall Nov. 4, 1947 

